Portable power operated window washer

ABSTRACT

A PORTABLE SELF-CONTAINED POWER OPERATED WINDOW WASHER CHARACTERIZED BY THE ABSENCE OF AUXILIARY CONTAINERS FOR CLEAN OR USED CLEANING FLUID AND HOSE CONNECTIONS THEREFOR, COMPRISING A HOUSING HAVING TWO PARTS DETACHABLY CONNECTED TOGETHER, ONE PART HOLDING FLUID ABSORBENT MATERIAL AND THE OTHER SUCTION PRODUCING MEANS, THE PARTS BEING SEPARABLE TO PERMIT THE ABSORBENT MATERIAL TO BE REMOVED, RINSED, SQUEEZED AND REINSERTED IN THE HOUSING. THE HOUSING PART WHICH CONTAINS THE ABSORBENT MATERIAL INCLUDES A NOZZLE HAVING A SQUEEZE BLADE FOR CONTACTING A WETTED SURFACE TO BE CLEANED, AN ELONGATED MOUTH ADJACENT THE BLADE THROUGH WHICH FLUID IS DRAWN BY SUCTION FROM SAID SURFACE INTO THE ABSORBENT MATERIAL AND MEANS FOR PREVENTING BUILD-UP OF FOAM ON THE NOZZLE.

June 15, 1971 w, w 1 ETAL 3,584,330

PORTABLE PQWER OPERATED WINDOW WASHER Filed June 16, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 'l .4 I I I Iiililili imam-smar-mamaminim iil ilfilii INVENTORS. Gus W. WALL/N JAMES H. HAHN 73%4521 W ATTORNEY KO V June 1971 (5. w. WALLIAJ ETAL 3,584,330

PORTABLE POWER OPERATED WINDOW WASHER Filed June 16, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet B 7 INVENTORS. 5/ I Gus W WALL/N II JAMES H. HAHN fimi zi 772 ATTORNEY United States atent Int. Cl. A471 1/08 U.S. Cl. -375 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A portable self-contained power operated window washer characterized by the absence of auxiliary containers for clean or used cleaning fluid and hose connections therefor, comprising a housing having two parts detachably connected together, one part holding fluid absorbent material and the other suction producing means, the parts being separable to permit the absorbent material to be removed, rinsed, squeezed and reinserted in the housing. The housing part which contains the absorbent material includes a nozzle having a squeegee blade for contacting a wetted surface to be cleaned, an elongated mouth adjacent the blade through which fluid is drawn by suction from said surface into the absorbent material and means for preventing build-up of foam on the nozzle.

This application is a substitute for application Ser. No. 602,905, filed Dec. 19, 1966.

This invention relates to a portable self contained light weight power operated window washer designed to be hand held by the user of the device.

One object of the invention is to permit the option by the user to employ preferred cleaning means such as ammonia or vinegar and water, commercially available cleaning solutions, foam sprays, etc., to be applied to the surface to be cleaned, and to minimize the Weight of the unit by omitting a cleaning fluid container as an integral part of the window washer.

Another object is to make the washer free of nonintegral auxiliary parts such as suction producing units and dirt-laden fluid receiving receptacles which require hose connections to the Washer, and which usually are floor-supported and cumbersome to move. Washers which employ such separate auxiliary parts are not self contained and not suitable to be hand held.

The washer shown and described herein is provided with a combination suction and squeegee nozzle having a blade for contacting the surface to be cleaned, and means for drawing the used cleaning fluid into the nozzle, and is provided with absorbent means within the washer housing for receiving the used fluid from the nozzle. The nozzle is provided with communicating channels and recesses through which the dirt-laden cleaning fluid is drawn by suction into a manifold chamber located between the nozzle mouth and the absorbent material, without build-up or accumulation of foam or foreign matter which would interfere with the eflicient suctional removal of the used fluid from the surface to be cleaned.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for assuring maintenance of the proper angle of the squeegee blade relatively to the surface to be cleaned. The chosen means for this purpose is readily observable and involves no moving parts.

Another object is to provide extension means between the washer body and the nozzle to facilitate easy access to hard-to-reach surfaces.

Due to efliciency of the washer of our invention, it is useful for washing all kinds of windows, large and small, as well as other surfaces, to thoroughly clean the corners, and to soak up the used fluid completely without streaking the cleaned surface.

The window washer described herein is motor driven, powered by batteries located within the washer or by an external power source. Battery operation is possib e because of its light weight, compact construction and consequent low power requirements, an advantage not possible when the washer is connected to separate suction producing mechanism or to fluid deceiving receptacles commonly hose-connected to washers.

The washer embodying our invention can be converted into a vacuum cleaner for furniture and the like by replacing the fluid absorbent medium with a dust collecting bag, as described herein.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view, partly in section, of a window washer embodying our invention, with the squeegee blade omitted.

FIG. 2 is an elevational side view, partly in section, of the window washer shown in FIG. 1, with the squeegee b ade in place.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, in the plane of the line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an elevational side view of a modification of the washer shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, provided with an extension wand between the main body and the nozzle of the washer.

FIG. 5 is an elevational side view, partly in section, of certain modifications which convert the washer into a vacuum cleaner.

In that embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 13, inclusive, the main housing of the window washer comprises a generally cylindrical body 10 having an inwardly sloping portion 11 and neck 12 coaxial with the body 10, and at its opposite end an outwardly curved portion 13 terminating in an externally threaded end surface 14 concentric with the neck 12. The main housing also comprises an elongated generally cylindrical body 15 which constitutes the handle of the washer. It has an internally threaded end 16 for engaging the threaded surface 14, and terminates in a rounded end 17. The housing 15 tapers gradually from its forward portion 16 to the rounded end 17, and is of such size that it can be held by the hand of an operator. The cylindrical body 10 provides a sponge holding chamber for a sponge 18. The elongated body 15 houses the power unit including a motor 19 and batteries 20.

The two parts, 10 and 15, of the main housing are detachably connected together and are adapted to be hand held and hand carried without any other supporting means. The fluid absorbent material 18 can be removed from the housing, rinsed and squeezed and reinserted in the housing. There is no need for auxiliary containers to hold clean or used cleansing fluid and hose connections therefor.

The motor 19 is mounted on a mounting plate 21 in the handle housing 15 in such manner that electric current carrying elements are isolated from moisture. The mounting plate 21 is attached to bosses 21 on the housing 15.

The blower 22 is mounted on the shaft of the motor 19 and is designed to provide low volume and relatively high suction pressure. An air cooling fan 23 may be mounted on an extension of the motor shaft to provide air movement through air inlet openings 24 in the end of the handle housing 15 for discharge through openings 25 located rearwardly of the main air discharge openings 26 in the body 15. A switch is indicated at 27 for controlling the motor 19.

A ribbed blower inlet plate 28 is held in place in the outlet end of the sponge chamber by the screwing of the threaded part 16 of the housing onto the sponge housing surface 14. This prevents plugging under suction conditions.

The sponge housing 10 has ribs formed on the inner surface of the sloping wall 11 adjacent the neck 12 to prevent plugging of the air flow when the sponge 18 swells. The sponge 18 may be of cellulosic material and fits snugly into the chamber formed by the housing 10 when slightly damp. The sponge 18 has a central hole 31, at least diameter when the sponge is swelled. The inner end of the sponge has several layers of coarse cloth 32 cemented across the hole 31. The cloth does not seriously impede air flow but blocks effectively serious foam buildup inherent in strong detergent and water cleaning solutions.

A nozzle designated 35 as a whole is detachably mounted on the neck 12 of the sponge chamber housing 10 (FIGS. 1 and 2) or on the end of the extension wand 36 of FIG. 4. The mounting preferably is by frictional engagement between the nozzle collar 37 and the neck 12 or wand 36. The collar 37 is a reduced integral portion of the nozzle housing 38 which forms a goose-neck connection between the manifold chamber housing 39 and the sponge chamber of the housing 10.

As best shown in FIG. 3, the manifold chamber housing 39 is generally wedge shaped in cross section, and as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, has a series of parallel small channel slots 40 on the upper surface of the housing 39. The slots 40 are approximately .025" deep and .100" wide, spaced upon approximately .150" centers. Several small channel slots 41 are provided at the ends of the manifold housing 39 to remove build up at the ends of the blade 42 which is fastened by suitable fastening means 43 passing through the blade and through a rigid top mem ber 44 into the chamber of the manifold housing 39. The slots 41 are approximately .025" deep and ,5 wide. The blade 42 is a precision blade of suitable rubber composition. The housings described herein may be made of plastic or other suitable materials; the rigid top member 44 preferably is made of metal.

Again referring to FIG. 3, the recessed pockets 45 on the lower surface of the manifold chamber housing 39 communicate with the upper slots 40 through small 5 diameter holes 46 to eliminate build up of cleaning agent ahead of the working edge of the blade 42 when excessive foam develops. The upper surface of the manifold chamber housing 39 is provided with a backup lip 47 which assures accurate assembly of the blade 42 and continuing accuracy of the blade position in use. Whifile-tree manifolding on the upper surface of the manifold chamber leading to the depression 48 in the manifold chamber insures uniform suction pressure at all channel slots. The gooseneck portion of the nozzle 38 may be integral with or connected to the manifold housing by screws 49.

The basic wedge shape of the manifold chamber housing 39 permits proper squeegee action of the blade 42 when held at angles of 30 to 50 from the surface to be cleaned. An integral web 50 is molded flush with the forward surface of the nozzle housing 38 so that when the surface of the web 50 is held perpendicular to the surface to be cleaned, the rubber blade 42 will extend at an angle of 40 to 45 to the glass or other surface 51.

The motor 19 of the washer may be powered by an external source of power through the electric cord 52, or may be battery powered. A cleaning solution is sprayed on the surface to be cleaned, and while the washer is held in the hand of the operator with the blade 42 at the proper angle as shown in FIG. 2, the washer is moved over the surface 51. The blade 42 loosens dirt on the surface and the suction produced by the blower 22 draws the dirtcarrying cleansing solution into the nozzle 35 through the recessed pockets 45, holes 46, and slots 40, 41 of the manifold housing 39, into the manifold chamber and the 4 gooseneck connection to the sponge chamber. There the sponge 18 absorbs the dirt-carrying solution. When the sponge has become saturated, it can be rinsed and squeezed to make it ready for re-insertion in the housing 10. The user is made aware of the saturation by excess fluid spraying out through the openings 26.

If the surface to be cleaned includes remote areas, the wand 36 may 'be installed between the nozzle 38 and the sponge housing 10 as shown in FIG. 4.

The washer may be converted to a. vacuum cleaner by substituting a nozzle 55, as shown in FIG. 5, for the squeegee type nozzle shown in the other figures of the drawings. The nozzle 55 is similar to the nozzle 38 but the manifold housing 39 and blade 42 have been omitted. Further, in place of the sponge 18, a porous cloth cleaner bag 56 sewed to a wire frame 57 is inserted into the housing 10 when it is desired to use the device as a vacuum cleaner instead of a window or other surface washer.

In describing the invention, reference has been made to particular examples embodying the same, but we wish it to be understood that the invention is not limited to the construction shown in the drawings and that various changes may be made in the construction and general arrangement of parts without departing from the invention as defined by the appended claims.

The claims are directed to a window washer but it will be understood that the washer may be used for washing glass and other window panes, and other surfaces, vertical and other, without departing from the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A portable self-contained power operated window washer characterized by the absence of auxiliary containers for clean or used cleansing fluid and hose connections therefor, comprising (a) a housing comprising two parts detachably connected together, the first of said parts containing suction producing means and the other part containing fluid absorbent material and having an open end adjacent said first part for removal of said material when the two parts are detached from each other, said housing being adapted to be hand held and hand carried without any other supporting means,

(b) the fluid absorbent material in the other housing part being removable from the housing to be rinsed, squeezed and reinserted through said open end, and

(c) a nozzle ncluding a squeegee blade for contacting a. Wetted surface to be cleaned, the nozzle having an elongated mouth adjacent the blade through which fluid is drawn by suction from said surface into the absorbent material in the housing.

2. The washer defined by claim 1, in which the absorbent material is a sponge which has a longitudinally extending passageway therein for quick reception of fluid and distribution into the sponge.

3. The washer defined by claim 1, in which the absorbent material is a sponge which has a layer of coarse fabric cemented to the sponge at the end facing the suction producing means.

4. The washer defined by claim 1, in which the housing ;is provided with interiorly located ribs adjacent the nozzle end of the housing to prevent plugging of the air flow through the housing when the absorbent material swells.

5. The washer defined by claim 1, in which the nozzle is provided with a manifold chamber housing and fluid receiving channels formed on and extending inwardly from the longitudinal and end edges of the manifold chamber housing wall which define the mouth of the nozzle for preventing build-up of foam on the nozzle.

6. The washer defined by claim 1, which includes a. web on the nozzle extending perpendicularly to the surface to be cleaned when the nozzle and blade are held at the proper angle to said surface.

7. The washer defined by claim 1, in which the nozzle 3,320,727 is provided on its upper surface with a back-up lip adapted 3,332,101 to have the squeegee blade in contact with the lip, and means fastening the blade to the nozzle adjacent said lip.

5 393,045 References Cited 1,196,420

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,346,339 4/1944 Vose 15-344 2,564,339 8/1951 Nerheim 15-344 10 3,118,165 1/ 1964 Meyerhoefer 15402 3,308,610 3/1967 Springer et al. 55522X 5/1967 Farley ct al. 55522X 7/1967 Leinfelt et a1 15-353X FOREIGN PATENTS 3/1924 Germany 15344 5/1959 France 15344 WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner C. K. MOORE, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

